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Type-93Ho Sōkōkumo
The Type-93Ho Sōkōkumo, officially known as the Type-93Ho quadruped anti-armour artillery walker, is a Yamataian combat mech produced for anti-armour and anti-fortification purposes. A quadruped mech, the Sōkōkumo is the second-heaviest conventional mech within the Imperial Army arsenal and is the heaviest mech in the SNLF arsenal. It is built on the Type-93 Kumo chassis, alongside its sister design the Type-93Ku Kibakumo. Its main armaments are twin 173mm cannons, which are some of the largest weapons mounted on a conventional, mass-produced Yamataian mech. Design The Sōkōkumo is built on the quadrupedal Type-93 Kumo chassis, providing stability and affording the walker a top speed of around 32 km/h despite its sheer weight. Weighing 188.4 tonnes, the Sōkōkumo is the third-heaviest mech within the Imperial Army arsenal, behind the Kuroiwa-Class Type-49 Artillery Walker and the Iwata-class super-heavy assault walker. In the SNLF arsenal, it is the heaviest vehicle overall. Protected by 90mm carbon nanotube-reinforced plate titanium in the front as well as 20mm of the same armour elsewhere, the Sōkōkumo is well-equipped for the frontline role it is intended for, where it is used to hunt enemy armoured vehicles, disrupt convoys and launch frontal attacks on fortified positions. Inertial dampeners allow for a relatively smooth ride within the vehicle despite the motion of the vehicle's legs as well as the sheer recoil from the firing of the guns. The upper assembly of the vehicle is able to rotate a full 360 degrees, though the legs are known to get in the way of movement of the hull occasionally. Armament The Sōkōkumo is equipped with twin 173mm cannons. These artillery-grade weapons are carried by the Sōkōkumo as a direct-fire anti-armour and anti-fortification weapon, though are also capable of firing guided missiles for longer-range engagements. A highly specialised weapon, the cannons are nonetheless able to fire a variety of rounds ranging from high-explosive, armour-piercing sabot, anti-fortification, guided rounds and more. While the guns have no traverse, the hull traverse is used for rotation. The guns can be depressed 12 degrees and elevated 55 degrees. Sighting and targeting is done in concert with a variety of sensors and electronics systems on board, along with the capability to link with other battlefield assets. A "dumb" artificial intelligence is equipped to aid with the aiming of the main weapons. The gunners are able to select different types of shells on their holographic interfaces, which are then loaded by mechanical armatures within the magazine, inaccessible from the fighting compartment behind an armoured wall. Atypically, ammunition is stored within a heavily armoured magazine on the rear of the Sōkōkumo itself, with the shells fed into the guns from the automated ammunition storage through a flexible passage that allows for loading no matter the guns' elevation. The ammunition storage, however, is the most vulnerable part of the vehicle as the entire entire vehicle may explode should the ammunition storage be breached, unlike other Yamataian mechs which typically have ammunition magazines outside of or otherwise unconnected to the fighting compartment. The sheer terror provided by the main weapons, particularly to human combatants, is well-known throughout Yamataian space and even beyond. It has been reported that the mere presence of a company of Sōkōkumo units within a formation could lead to a premature end to battles, particularly with less-equipped enemies. There was just a series of deafening blasts somewhere far ahead. Initially, we though we were under direct attack. We never saw anything but were ordered to retreat almost immediately. We would later learn that the defensive line a few kilometers ahead of us was completely punched through. That day, we learned to fear the Armoured Spider. -Tsukiyaman rebel fighter account, 2532 For close-range anti-personnel use, the Sōkōkumo is also equipped with a pair of 12.7mm heavy machine guns in a dual mount on the front of the fighting compartment. Crew The Sōkōkumo has a crew of four, consisting of a commander, a driver and a two-man gunnery crew which works in tandem to select the appropriate ammunition and the firing of the guns. The driver also fires the heavy machine guns. History Developed alongside the Type-93Ku Kibakumo, the Sōkōkumo is half of the Type-93 Kumo series of artillery support walkers. See also *Type-93Ku Kibakumo Category:Yamatai Category:Mechs